News & Notes

Published 12:01 am, Saturday, May 28, 2011

WASHINGTON -- The House has unanimously approved the nomination of the Rev. Patrick J. Conroy, a Catholic priest who teaches at Jesuit High School in Portland, Ore., to be the 60th House chaplain.

The 60-year-old Washington state native has also served as a chaplain at Georgetown University. The House chaplain's duties include opening each session with a prayer, presiding over memorials and providingcounseling.

Conroy was ordained a priest in 1983.

-- Associated Press

Kansas joins effort to save highway crosses

TOPEKA, Kan. -- Kansas has joined 19 other states in asking the U.S. Supreme Court to hear a dispute over crosses along Utah highways honoring state troopers who died while on duty.

Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt says he joined the effort because he wants to protect the right of free expression on public land.

An atheist group sued over the crosses in 2005 and a federal appeals court ruled in the group's favor, concluding the crosses were an unconstitutional government endorsement of religion. Utah then appealed.

-- Associated Press

New Testament now in tribal language

FAIRBANKS, Alaska -- An Alaskan couple has translated the New Testament into Gwich'in.

Meggie and Pierre DeMers read a passage from a copy of their translation of the New Testament during Sunday morning services at the St. Matthew's Episcopal Church in Fairbanks.

Parishioners responded with a standing ovation.

The DeMers have worked for 31 years to complete the Gwich'in translation of the New Testament.

Gwich'in are the only Athabascan tribe to have the New Testament in their language.

-- Associated Press

Spiritual defense removed for murder

SALEM, Ore. -- Oregon lawmakers have approved a bill that would remove faith healing as a legal defense in murder or manslaughter cases.

The legislation was drafted largely in response to the deaths of children among members of the Followers of Christ Church in Oregon City, who rely on spiritual treatments instead of medical care.

A couple that belongs to the church stands trial this week on criminal mistreatment charges for failing to seek medical care for their infant daughter. Another couple was convicted last year of criminally negligent homicide in the 2008 death of their teenage son.

The Oregon House unanimously approved the bill in March, and the Senate passed it Monday. The bill now returns to the House for a vote on Senate changes.